THE LODGE HAD FLUFFY white robes in the closet, and we have them on. I'm looking over the breakfast menu to place an order while Danny stands at the window, looking out at the snow.

She doesn't look at me when she speaks. "The roads should be open."

She looks adorable in the robe, with her hair curling around her head. I don't even remember it curly in college, so she's been disguising it for a long time. "You have someplace you need to be?"

She turns her gaze from the snow and it lands on me. "No."

"Then let's stay another night."

She stares, and I almost give up on her answering me. Her cheeks go a bit pink and she says, "Without condoms, what are we going to do with all the time?"

She's so fucking beautiful I could just look at her for the next twenty-four hours. "There's a drugstore two blocks from here. I'll take a short trip and pick us up a few things." She looks back out to the snow-covered parking lot. "I'll be back before our food gets here." I stand up and head to my clothes.

"Okay," she says to the window.

I finish dressing, then walk up behind her and grab her upper arms and lean into her neck. "I'll take eggs and bacon, if you'll order. I'll pick us up toothbrushes and anything else you need. I won't buy a hair-straightener, though."

My chest is pressed against her back, and I feel her laugh more than hear it.

"I had no idea you had a curly-hair fetish, lover boy."

I nuzzle my nose through the hair at her shoulder and kiss her skin. "Neither did I." I breathe against her, before grabbing my keys and wallet and leaving the room.

I buy some junk food, basic toiletry products, and a dozen condoms. I'll be damned if I run out again. There's a small section with cheap sweatpants and shirts, and I buy us each a set in red. They also have a few pairs of athletic shoes to choose from and I nab a pair for each of us, along with socks. I can only guess the size of Danny's feet, and hope she doesn't kill me for buying the largest women's pair they have. She can double or triple up on socks; I just don't want the shoes too tight. I'm back at the room in thirty minutes and run into the young man with our food, his hand lifting to knock on the door. My arms are filled with bags, but I manage to let him in.

"It's me, Danny. Our food's here, too."

"Okay," she says from around the corner, and I figure she's sitting on the bed. There's a counter to the side with a small bar and I have the man set the trays there. After I give him a tip, he leaves, and I walk into the bedroom and drop the bags on the end of the bed.

Danny's sitting, her phone in her hand. She looks up and sees all the bags. "Did you buy out the store?"

"Close," I say with a smile. "I bought a dozen condoms, and can go back for more if we need them."

I love when her cheeks pink, and I must have a certain look in my eyes because she immediately stands and comes around the bed. I'm thinking we'll be using the first condom in the box before we eat, but she only tries to walk past me. "I'm hungry," she mutters and looks away. Danny still thinks I'll accept the awkward thing she spoke of earlier. It's not going to happen.

I curl my arm around her waist and bring her in close. "After we eat, I have a surprise for you." I say this against her curly hair and kiss the top of her head. Then, I let her go.

She doesn't ask me about the surprise I just mentioned, though I do get a smile.

***

An hour later we're dressed in my surprise, which are the sweats and shoes, with Danny in her Carhartt and me in just the matching sweatshirt, because my sports jacket wouldn't fit over it. Ridiculous doesn't quite cover how we look. We're both laughing as we head out to the snowy field behind the lodge. I don't remember the last time I played in the snow. I don't think I've ever done it with a girl.

Danny bends down and gathers snow in her hands, forming a snowball. It hits me square in the chest while I'm taking my time making mine. "One, nothing," Danny cries as she runs for cover.

Mine misses her, and hits the tree she's hiding behind. I'm nailed in the arm with another as I lean over to gather more snow. A few flakes are falling, and I'm glad we decided to stay. We spend an hour running and chucking snowballs; our feet are soaked through and most likely blue.

We're still laughing when we return to the room and jump in the shower. I nabbed a condom on the way in and we use it.

Once we're curled beneath the blankets again, I start with more questions. Danny stops me at the third one and says, "Tell me about your mom."

I lie back against the pillows and bring Danny with me, so her head is against my chest. "You've seen the pictures at my house. She was beautiful, and had curly hair like you. She and Dad split when Joel and I were toddlers. My dad paid really good child support, so my mom didn't need to work. She was there every day to take us to school and drive us home after school sports practice. She liked being a mom, and she was damned good at it. My dad had us flown out to California every year for a month, once we were five and six. Tally, my mom, would pack us up and send us off. I always remember her sad eyes when we would leave. She'd smile and tell us she loved us, but she couldn't hide the sad. I resented my dad for a long time. I think my mom always loved him, but he led a Hollywood lifestyle that she didn't want. She wanted Joel and me growing up just as we did. She made it possible." I start playing with Danny's hair as I continue. It feels right to be telling her about my mom. "She would start baking the day before Thanksgiving, and didn't stop until Christmas Eve. She gave everyone plates of holiday cookies, and also provided them for our classroom Christmas parties. After school would release for winter break, she'd host a huge party for all of our friends in the pool house. Fuck, but we were spoiled, and I swear she made the best cookies in the world."

I pull Danny a little bit tighter into me and keep talking, "Joel was a senior and set on going to college here in town when she died. A car came out of nowhere and took her out, and put Joel in the hospital. Joel was driving. It happened a week before Thanksgiving. Joel had surgery right after the accident, and then again two weeks before Christmas. My dad flew out and stayed for a week, but he had a project going and needed to get back to L.A. He wanted to take us with him and get Joel to a plastic surgeon in L.A. Joel and I both objected, strongly. Thank God we don't have close neighbors or someone would have called in a domestic. In our eyes we were men, and we had chosen our paths and had the right to take them. We wanted nothing to do with L.A. My dad hired a nurse and left us. Honestly, my dad had no idea how to be a father. Even the month we stayed with him each summer, his wife or girlfriend of the moment would take care of us. As bad as it sounds, he did the right thing in leaving us."

Danny places a soft kiss on my chest and I continue, "That was our first Christmas without our mother. It was awfulJoel had barely recovered. Neighbors brought food, and I threw every cookie away." I breathe in Danny's hair, wondering if I can go on. Her lips press against my chest again. It's like she knows that I need her affection. "That Christmas was the second shittiest day of my life. My mom always said that someday we'd bring home a pretty girl, who could help her bake and take care of her boys. I wish you could have helped her just once."

Danny rolls away slightly and looks at me. Tears are streaming down her face, and I wipe one away. "I make good cookies," she says against my lips.

"I remember. You gave me some last year. They reminded me of my mom's." I watch as more tears trail down Danny's cheeks. I kiss her, because there is nothing on earth that can stop me. "Don't cry, Danny girl," I whisper against her lips, and I kiss her again. A huge weight I've been carrying with me since my mom died lifts. Danny is the girl who would have helped my mom. Danny's the girl who is healing me.